Advanced fire control system

ABSTRACT

A fire control system for vehicle or tank control that provides a high first hit probability. The system is highly stable because of a sampling concept and is highly accurate because of the handling of nonstandard conditions. Reliable operation is provided for a moving tank or target, or both, and for noncoaltitude conditions.

United States Patent Inventor William E. McAdam, Jr. [56] ReferencesCited A I N Oaks, Calif. UNITED STATES PATENTS PP 9 Filed Aug. 21, 19683,339,457 9/1967 Pun 89/4l,4l .7UX Patented Apr. 13, 1971 PrimaryExaminer-Samuel Feinberg Assignee Hughes Aircraft Company AssistantExaminer-Thomas H. Webb Culver City, Calif. Attorneys-James K. Haskelland Walter J Adam ADVANCED FIRE CONTROL SYSTEM 36 Claims, 40 DrawingFigs.

US. Cl 89/41R, ABSTRACT: A fire control system for vehicle or tankcontrol 89/41E, 235/61.5DF that provides a high first hit probability.The system is highly Int. Cl F4lf 3/08, stable because of a samplingconcept and is highly accurate F4'lf 3/12,'F41f 3/00 because of thehandling of nonstandard conditions. Reliabie Field of Search 89/41.6,Operation is provided for a moving tank or target, or both, and

41.7; 244/ 3. l6; 235/61.5 for noncoaltitude conditions.

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Patented April 13, 1971 3,575,085

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Patented April 13, 1971 3,575,085

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1. A fire control system comprising: sighting means having an opticalpath and movable line of sight means, a laser range finder having atransmitting and receiving path substantially coincident with the pathof said sighting means, means for developing angular rate of movementsignals of said line of sight means in the azimuth dimension, and analogcomputing means responsive to the angular rate of movement signals andto said laser range finder for developing azimuth and elevation firecontrol signals.
 2. The combination of claim 1 in which said means fordeveloping angular rate signals also develops angular rate signals inthe elevation dimension and said analog computing means also respondsthereto.
 3. A tank fire control system comprising: a laser range finder,a movable sight, a computer responsive to said laser range finder forcalculating azimuth and elevation angles under standard firingconditions, sensing means for developing signals representative ofnonstandard firing conditions, and means responsive to said computer andsaid sensing means for developing lead angle fire control signals. 4.The combination of claim 3 further including means responsive tomovement of said sight to develop angular rate signals and means forapplying said angular rate signals to said means for developing leadangle fire control signals.
 5. A gun fire control system comprising: asight having a movable axis, a laser range finder having a transmissionand reception axis parallel with the axis of said sight, computing meansfor calculating gun lead angles as a function of standard conditions andas a function of nonstandard conditions, sensing means coupled to saidcomputing means, said means sensing nonstandard conditions and applyingsignal representative thereof to said computing means, and couplingmeans coupled between said computing means and sight for indicating saidlead angles.
 6. The combination of claim 5 in which said coupling meansis coupled between said computing means and said gun instead of saidsight for controlling the gun pointing direction.
 7. A gun fire controlsystem comprising: sighting means having a movable axis, a range finderhaving a transmission and reception axis substantially coincident withthe axis of said sight, computing means for developing gun elevation andazimuth lead angle signals as a function of standArd conditions and as afunction of nonstandard conditions, sensing means coupled to saidcomputing means for sensing nonstandard conditions and applying signalsrepresentative thereof to said computing means, means coupled betweensaid computing means and said sighting means so that said sighting meansindicates said lead angles, and means coupled between said computingmeans and said gun for applying said lead angle signals thereto.
 8. Avehicle gun fire control system comprising: gyro means responsive tosaid gun for sensing azimuth rate of motion, sensing means for sensingnonstandard conditions, sighting means, computing means responsive tosaid sensing means for developing elevation and azimuth signals, meansresponsive to said elevation and azimuth signals and to said gyro meansfor developing elevation and azimuth lead angle signals, and means forapplying said lead angle signals to said sighting means.
 9. Thecombination of claim 8 in which said means for applying said lead anglesignals applies said lead angle signals to said gun instead of saidsight.
 10. A system for controlling gun fire from a vehicle comprising:ranging means, computer means responsive to said ranging means fordetermining lead angles in reference coordinates for standardconditions, coordinate conversion means including means for sensing thevehicle movement in the cant dimension and responsive to said computermeans for developing elevation and azimuth lead angle signals in vehiclecoordinates.
 11. The combination of claim 10 further including means forsensing variations from nonstandard conditions, and combining meanscoupled to said conversion means and to said means for sensing fordeveloping said lead angle signals under said nonstandard conditions.12. A vehicle gun fire control system for controlling fire to a targetcomprising: computer means for determining elevation and azimuth leadangles in earth coordinates, coordinate conversion means coupled to saidcomputer means for sensing a single axis of vehicle movement and fordeveloping elevation and azimuth lead angle signals in vehiclecoordinates, parameter determining means for developing gun parametersin vehicle coordinates, and combining means coupled to said parameterdetermining means and to said conversion means for modifying saidelevation and azimuth lead angle signals.
 13. A system for controllingfire from a vehicle to a target comprising: range finding means,computing means for responding to said range finding means fordetermining lead angles in reference coordinates, and coordinateconversion means including means for sensing the angular rate of targetmovement in a single axis and developing lead angle signals in vehiclecoordinates
 14. The combination of claim 13 further including means forsensing variations from nonstandard firing conditions, and combiningmeans coupled between said conversion means and said computing means fordetermining said lead angles under said nonstandard firing conditions.15. A system for controlling gun fire from a vehicle to a targetcomprising: range finding means, computer means responsive to said rangefinding means for determining lead angles in reference coordinates understandard conditions, and coordinate conversion means including means forsensing angular rate of target movement in first and second gun axis invehicle coordinates and responsive to said computer means for developingelevation and azimuth lead angle signals in vehicle coordinates.
 16. Thecombination of claim 15 further including means for sensing variationfrom nonstandard conditions and combining means coupled between saidcomputer means and said conversion means for developing said lead anglesignals under said nonstandard conditions.
 17. A system for controllinggun fire from a vehicle to a target comprising: target range determiningmeanS, computer means coupled to said range determining means fordetermining elevation signals in reference coordinates, means forsensing elevation and azimuth angular rate of movement in vehiclecoordinates, means for sampling said elevation and azimuth angle rates,conversion means responsive to said computer means for determiningelevation and azimuth lead angles in vehicle coordinates, and meansresponsive to said conversion means and to said means for sensing fordeveloping lead angle signals in vehicle coordinates.
 18. A tank firecontrol system for controlling gun fire to a target comprising: sightingmeans having an axis movable to follow the target, first and secondmeans for providing elevation and azimuth angular rate of gun axismovement signals, controllable means for sampling and storing theelevation and azimuth angular rate, and means responsive to the sampledangular rates for developing elevation and azimuth gun pointing controlsignals.
 19. The tank fire control system of claim 18 wherein first andsecond sensing means are mounted on said sighting means to providesignals corresponding to the motion of the sighting means axis as itfollows the target, said first and second sensing means providingelevational and azimuthal angular rate of the axis of said sightingmeans signals, said signals provided by said first and second sensingmeans being connected to drive said sighting means.
 20. The vehiclecontrol system of claim 19 wherein said sighting means has elevationaland azimuthal drive means thereon, said first and second means providingoutput signals, the output signals of said first and second means beingconnected to said sighting means elevational and azimuthal drive meansto drive said sighting means.
 21. A vehicle fire control systemcomprising: sighting means, first and second means for determiningelevation angular rate and azimuth angular rate of movement of saidsighting means, means for sampling said elevation and azimuth angularrate, computing means for determining elevation and azimuth errorsignals in reference coordinates, and conversion means responsive to thecomputing means and to said means for sampling for developing elevationand azimuth error signals in vehicle referenced coordinates.
 22. A tankfire control system for controlling a gun to hit moving targetscomprising: sighting means, means for sensing the angular rate ofmovement of said gun in only the azimuth dimension, computer means, andcombining means coupled to said computer means and to said means forsensing to develop elevation and azimuth lead angle signals.
 23. Avehicle fire control system operable with moving targets comprising:computing means for developing elevation and azimuth lead angle signals,sighting means movable to sight the target, means for determining theangular rate of movement of said sighting means, means for sensingfiring conditions, combining means responsive to said means for sensingand to said computing means for developing elevation and azimuth leadangle signals, in earth coordinates, and conversion means coupled tosaid combining means and to said means for determining to developelevation and azimuth lead angle signals in vehicle referencedcoordinates.
 24. A vehicle gun control for controlling gun fire to atarget comprising: movable sighting means, target range determiningmeans, computer means responsive to said range determining means forcalculating elevation angle and time of flight under preselectedstandard conditions, angular rate sensing means responsive to movementof said sighting means, nonstandard condition sensing means, combiningmeans coupled to said computer and to said nonstandard condition sensingmeans for developing elevation and azimuth lead angle signals inreference coordinates, coordinate conversion means coupled to sAidcombining means and to said angular rate sensing means for developingelevation and azimuth lead angle signals in vehicle referencedcoordinates, and means for applying said lead angle signals in vehiclereferenced coordinates to said movable sighting means.
 25. Thecombination of claim 24 further including operator controlled meanscoupled to said movable sighting means and control means coupled betweensaid operator control means and said gun.
 26. A vehicle gun control forcontrolling gun fire to a target comprising: movable sighting means,target range determining means, computer means responsive to said rangedetermining means for calculating elevation angle and time of flightunder preselected standard conditions, angular rate sensing meansresponsive to movement of said sighting means, nonstandard conditionsensing means, combining means coupled to said computer and to saidnonstandard condition sensing means for developing elevation and azimuthlead angle signal in reference coordinates, coordinate conversion meanscoupled to said combining means and to said angular rate sensing meansfor developing elevation and azimuth lead angle signals in vehiclereferenced coordinates, means for applying said lead angle signals invehicle reference coordinates to said gun, operator-controlled meanscoupled to said movable sighting means, and position responsive meanscoupled between said movable sighting means and said gun.
 27. Thecombination of claim 26 also including means coupling the computer tosaid gun for further controlling the gun pointing direction.
 28. Avehicle fire control system for controlling gun fire to a target, saidfire control system comprising: sighting means having an axis movable tofollow the target; drive means connected to said sighting means to drivesaid sighting means in elevational and azimuthal directions; first andsecond sensing means connected to said sighting means, said first andsecond sensing means providing elevational and azimuthal signalscorresponding to elevational and azimuthal movement of the axis of saidsighting means as it follows the target, said elevational and azimuthalsignals being connected to said drive means to drive said sighting meansrespectively in elevational and azimuthal directions.
 29. The vehiclefire control system of claim 28 wherein said first and second sensingmeans respectively provide elevational and azimuthal angular rate ofsighting means axis movement signals.
 30. A gun fire control systemcomprising: a sight having a movable axis, a laser range finder having atransmission and reception axis substantially coincident with the axisof said sight, ammunition selection means, sensing means coupled to saidammunition selection means for sensing nonstandard conditions, computermeans coupled to said ammunition selection means and to sensing meansfor calculating gun elevation angles as a function of nonstandardconditions, and first means coupled to said computer means and to saidsensing means for developing gun pointing control signals.
 31. A vehiclefire control system for controlling gun fire to a target comprising:sighting means having an axis and including a hand control for movingsaid axis, range determining means, angular rate sensing meansresponsive to the movement of the axis of said sighting means, computermeans coupled to said range determining means and to said sighting meansfor developing azimuth and elevation lead angle signals, first means forcontrolling the gun pointing direction, fluid control means coupledbetween said computer means and said first means for controlling the gunpointing in elevation, second means coupled between said sighting meansand said first means for controlling said gun in azimuth, and thirdmeans coupled between said sighting means and said first means forfurther controlling said gun in elevation.
 32. A fire control system forcontrolling fire to a target from a vehicle comprising: computer meansfor determining elevation, azimuth and time of flight, sighting means,means responsive to said sighting means for determining angular rate ofmovement in azimuth, means for multiplying said time of flight and saidangular rate to develop an azimuth signal, and resolving meansresponsive to said computer means and said azimuth signal for developingazimuth and elevation signals in predetermined reference planes.
 33. Avehicle gun fire control system, said gun having a tube subject tochanging conditions as a function of firing ammunition comprising: rangedetermining means, first means responsive to said gun firing to developa signal representative of the gun tube wear, computing means coupled tosaid range determining means and coupled to said first means fordeveloping elevation and azimuth signals including the ballistic effectof said tube wear; and means coupled to said computing means fordeveloping elevation and azimuth control signals representative of thedesired gun pointing direction.
 34. A gun fire control systemcomprising: sighting means having an optical axis; range determiningmeans having a transmitting and receiving path substantially parallelwith said optical axis; computer means coupled to said range determiningmeans for developing elevation signals under predetermined firingconditions; sensing means for determining variations of said firingconditions; first means for determining angular rate of motion of saidsighting means; and second means responsive to said sensing means and tosaid first means for developing signals representative of a desired gunpointing direction.
 35. A tank gun fire control system for controllingfire to a target comprising: sighting means having hand control means;angular rate sensing means responsive to movement of said sightingmeans, range determining means, computing means coupled to said sightingmeans and to said range determining means for developing azimuth andelevation lead angle signals, and means coupled from said computingmeans and said sighting means to said gun for controlling the pointingdirection of said gun.
 36. A tank gun fire control system forcontrolling fire to a target comprising: laser range determining means,sighting means having hand control means, said sighting means having anaxis, angular rate sensing means responsive to movement of the axis ofsaid sighting means, computing means coupled to said sighting means andto said range determining means for developing azimuth and elevationlead angle signals, means coupling said computing means to said sightingmeans for controlling the axis thereof, and means coupling the sightingmeans and said gun to control the gun direction.